Daughter of the Naga

Chapter 13

Behind the stone walls of the sacred city, I felt as if I had stepped into another secret world — a world within another world. The area spanned across small plains and golden hills. A small river ran through a great lake nearby. The blue skies slowly turned gold.

It was beautiful beyond anything I could imagine. The sight of this seeming paradise made the hair stood on my arms. The whole scenery stretched as far and wide as the skyline.

Far into the city, I could see hills dotted with elegant golden temples. They stood erected in their most stunning forms. There were beautiful lotus ponds and blooming gardens. Stone bridges and causeways led us across the water-moats fed by the river.

Our carriages and the royal parade crawled through the central square. A familiar moat and walls came into view. Rising above the plain was another gigantic stone temple. Its meticulously carved towers gleamed in the sun like spires of a golden crown.

The largest religious temple on the planet, my father used to tell me. Angkor Wat stood like a majestic mountain that resembled the top of Mount Meru, the abode of the gods. If I hadn't seen the monument before, I would have thought I was in heavens.

"Impressive, is it not?" Tepi said as she saw me staring in awe. "This is the largest of all the temples. We call it Vrah Visnuloka, which means the 'Sacred dwelling of Lord Visnu'."

"I have seen it," I said, "but in another time."

"You have been here before?" Tusita asked.

"Yes, where I came from this temple has a different name and is not in this perfect grandiose state. Actually, it's...it's a ruin."

"What?" they looked at me curiously. Then we heard a chorus of flapping noises in the sky. I looked up and saw what looked like a flock of giant birds flying towards us.

And as they got closer, I realized they weren't normal birds. Their lower halves were covered with golden feathers. They had large golden wings and feet of a swan. Apart from their plume-covered hind legs, large wings, and long flowing tails, the creatures had the head and body of humans.

My mouth fell open.

"There they are!" Tusita said. "The Kennars are here at last."

"What are they again?" I asked.

"We call those beings, the Kennars," Tepi said. "A 'Kennari' if it's a female. A 'Kennara' if it's a male. They are the celestial musicians of Mount Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva."

I should've gotten used to all the craziness that surrounded me now, but I was still shocked to see those half-human and half-bird people. I wished I could describe how strikingly beautiful they looked up there.

Then to my utter surprise, I spotted Kesar among the flock. She was trailing behind the rest with her golden wings extended in the air.

As soon as she looked down, our eyes met. The rest of the Kennars flew ahead of the procession. The familiar Kennari left the flock and descended, but she did not land. Kesar skimmed alongside our carriage.

"Kesar?" I called from the window. "Is that you?"

"My lady," she said, looking sheepishly back.

"You're a...a..." I couldn't finish the sentence. Maybe I just had to drag my jaw all the way from there.

Once we reached our destination, everyone got off the carriages.

The Royal Palace was at the north end of the golden bridge and the golden temple. It was built from wood and stone with the same style as the one I stayed in, but more complex and on a massive scale. Some houses were three-storey tall.

I saw the Kennars landed, flicking their golden feathers and causing dirt to whirl in the air. Kesar folded her wings behind her small back then the wings shimmered and disappeared.

The Hora and the Brahmins walked with the monarchs. A dozen palace maids and royal guards followed them. Other elegant maidens with red and gold umbrellas escorted us inside.

Kesar appeared by my side again. I couldn't stop staring and checking over her back. She blushed as if I had seen her naked.

"So...you're half-bird?" was all I could think of to say. Kesar didn't answer. She just took my satchel to carry it for me.

Afterward, we were led through a gleaming stone path. Along the terrace through the overhanging trees of the garden, a majestic palace appeared into view. Soothing music drifted in the air as we entered.

Most of the Palace buildings had gold-gilded doors and large carved windows. The main pavilion had lead tiles while the other ones had red clay tiles. A few smaller houses were straw-roofed. Stone statues decorated each giant pillars. The royal guards stood sentinel along the corridors and entrances.

Once in a while, I would find myself glancing at Queen Jayara as she spoke softly to the Hora and the high priests.

The fact that the Queen looked exactly like my mother still astonished me. I tried to convince myself that it was just a coincidence. They were simply two different people sharing similar features.

Then we were told by one of the elder priests to go to our chambers and get ready for the welcoming feast tonight.

We didn't linger long. I wished I could have another long bath and a change of clothes, but my mind was still fixed on my escape plan. Now it got harder since I was in yet another new setting. Maybe I could grab an opportunity when everyone got drunk during the feast.

Tepi and Tusita walked me through the garden towards another building. Tepi showed me all the places, which I mapped out inside my head.

"We shall get you to your chamber before dinner time," Tepi said as we walked along the corridor of the palace.

"And where do you girls stay?"

"We have our own houses," Tusita told me and pointed to a cluster of other buildings at the other side of the lotus pond. "You shall find your chamber twice as big as the one you stayed and with plenty of lovely maidens. But if you prefer your own handmaiden, that's fine, too."

She gave a mischievous grin as she looked at me and Kesar, whose face reddened like a ripe apricot.

A voice called us from behind. We turned around to see Morokot striding over. Her flowing red tunic sparkled as she moved. Her piercing eyes almost looked reddish under the lamplight.

"What do you want, Morokot?" Tusita said in distaste.

"Nothing," she said. "Just fancy a few words with the Prophesied Girl, do you mind?"

"Morokot," Tepi said with a warning tone.

"Relax your feeble heart," she said and turned her eyes to me. "After the feast tonight, we shall propose the game. This mortal girl won't worth your efforts. If you wish to change your mind, now is your last chance."

"Ha!" Tusita barked a laugh. "You ask us to bow down to your stinky fellow? Your dream is too big for your hollow head."

Morokot glared at her, causing Tusita to glare back.

"Morokot, we must first consult our Guru before deciding such a proposal," Tepi said.

"Don't worry about that," Morokot said, "Sambo is already well informed."

With that said, she turned and left.

"Geez! She always gets on my last mortal nerve!" Tusita said.

"If their minds won't change about the game, I think it's best to earn favors from the other avatars," Tepi said. She turned to Kesar. "Have you seen Vorac and Samudra?"

"Yes, my lady," she said. "When we flew over the encampment, I spotted them still training in the field."

"Then they should be back by dinner time. I have to get to them before Issarak could sway their mind," Tepi said more to herself then she looked back at me. "You can rest now, Nikita. We shall see you at the Throne Hall tonight."

The sun would still be up in the sky for another hour. Kesar and I arrived at the Moonlight Chamber as it was called. The room was spacious and splendid, but I had no wish to stay there any longer.

"I have something to show you, my lady," Kesar suddenly said. I nodded back, not paying much attention. I was thinking of how I could get out of this place and find my way to the south of the city. The spiral must be lying somewhere around this region.

Kesar disappeared and then returned with a stack of clean silk clothes.

"I figured you find no comfort with our common clothing," she said. "So I fetched the materials from the merchants and made you these outfits. I hope they will serve you well."

She was beaming sweetly at me. I looked at the clothes and realized that they were just like the ones I was wearing. The fabric was softer and beautifully sewn with impeccable skills. There were hiking flat soled boots made of cowhide. The handmade classic touch made each material special. Kesar even knew how to tailor the clothes and made them fit me perfectly. I couldn't find the word to thank the maiden. For a moment, it made me wish I could stay.

The sun finally set, turning the air cold. I stepped into my new attire and waited for something to happen. Kesar had stepped out of the chamber, probably meeting with her fellow bird-ladies. I was in my room alone and then a thought popped into my head.

Maybe this was a perfect chance to escape. No one would have seen this coming. Everyone seemed to be busy preparing for the feast. The sooner I acted, the closer I was on my way home.

I got up and snatched my brown bag to shove the clothes that Kesar gave me into it. I felt a pang of guilt for this. I wanted to leave a thank you note, but I wasn't sure how my written language would come out on paper. I could only thank her inside my heart.

I slipped through the chamber door with my pulse pounding in my ears. There were armed guards at the far right side of the building, but none at the left. I decided to take a detour and walked down the opposite hall. If I rounded the corner of the building, I might find another route that could lead me out of the palace.

Soon I found myself walking through a garden. Burning torches lighted the areas. I tried to hide behind the trees and flower bushes. The fragrance of the garden did little to relax me. Soon I was sweating.

After a while, I reached the end of another building. It was high above the ground. I quickly dove behind a pillar when a group of shirtless guards walked past. Suddenly I heard a gate opened and more guards appeared, walking through the garden path.

And faster than a whirlwind, I rushed out of my hiding place and climbed over the railing. Fortunately, a window was left open and I jumped through it. Then I found myself in another chamber. It was almost twice the size of my own and I could hear a sound of trickling water.

My nose caught a blissful smell. The air was filled with the scent of jasmine flower and lemons. I walked further inside and realized I was in a bathhouse. There was an indoor square pool filled with flowers floating on the water.

I heard voices coming from the other door. I looked around for someplace to hide, but I couldn't find it. When I looked up, I saw the woodwork linking two pillars across the high ceiling. With a rush of adrenaline, I went and started climbing between the gap of the wall and the pillar like a monkey. I was almost there when my satchel slipped off my shoulder and landed behind the base of the pillar. I decided to leave it there as people finally came into the bath house. They were all maidens.

"Hurry up, her royal highness is coming at any moment. Come quick," one of them said as they poured water into the pool from their wooden buckets.

I was sprawling on my stomach on the beam, looking down from the ceiling. It was high enough to keep me out of people's sight.

More maidens walked in, but then a girl my age stepped out through a curtained doorway. The sight of her caused my heart to halt. My breath hitched, and I sort of gasped against my will.

She was wearing a long flowing tunic, folded over by a golden belt. A silk scarf hung from her shoulders down to her thighs. I had never seen anyone this beautiful. She caused a sting of pain in my chest as if my heart was aching and longing for something out of reach.

The maids helped her undress, peeling layers of soft fabrics from her flawless skin. The whole time I could barely breathe as my eyes widened. I forgot all about my plan and even myself.

The maids proceeded to untie her belts and undid a few pieces of jewelry from her delicate form. When the maids released her long black hair from the bun, I watched it flowing over her shoulders like fine black silk.

"You may leave now," her voice was pure music to my ears. "I prefer my bath in solitude tonight."

The maids obeyed her words and bowed humbly away.

When everyone was gone, the young woman started unwrapping the last layer of her silk robe. My cheeks began to burn hot, and I looked away, but I already felt the heat stirring inside my core.

I shut my eyes but it wasn't long before my curiosity took over and pried my eyes open again. It was a mistake for I was immediately gripped by the sight of her nude beauty. The young maiden had stepped into the water, unaware of my presence. The view of her small arching full breasts held me in a binding spell. A soft gasp escaped my lips, surprising even myself. I covered my mouth, fearing the beautiful maiden could hear me.

I tried to tear my gaze away but I couldn't. Once in a while, she would glance about as if she could sense my shameless stare. I would recoil back, trying to blend in with the shadow and turning my face away.

But it was like a spell-bound lure, and soon I found myself unknowingly watching the water rolled off her shimmering naked skin.

All of a sudden, I felt something soft on my forearm. It brought me back to my senses. I turned my head to find a small curious gecko staring back at me.

A foolish cry burst from my chest. I lost my grip on the wood beam and fell. Then all I could hear was the gushing sound of water and the absence of noise as I plunged into the pool.